The dictionary was obtained in collaboration with Lija Siliunas and members of the Lithuanian community. 

1. Išdaužtų langų teorija yra kriminologinė teorija, teigianti, jog egzistuoja ryšys tarp netvarkos aplinkoje ir nusikaltimų, t.y. jei pastate yra išdaužtų langų, tai greitai ant pastato pasirodys piešiniai, graffiti, padaugės šiukšlių, vandalizmo, o toliau priekiavimo narkotikais ar apiplėšimų atvejų. Kitaip tariant, ignoruojant smulkesnius nusižengimus ir nekuriant tvarkos, gali būti sukurta erdvė sunkesniems nusikaltimams vystytis.
2. Nuteistojo lizingas arba nuoma buvo priverstinio darbo forma, naudota kalėjimuose pietinėse JAV valstijose XIX a. – XX a. pradžioje. Kalintys asmenys (beveik visi juodaodžiai) būdavo išnuomojami privačioms korporacijoms; už atliktą darbą jie negaudavo jokio atlygio, o kalėjimai pelnėsi iš tokio sandorio.
3. Sąlygos, netiesiogiai diskriminuojančios tam tikras visuomenės grupes (pvz. prašymas galėti pakelti 50kg svorį darbo skelbime, kai tai nėra būtina darbo atlikimui).
4. Džimo Krou įstatymai, veikę JAV nuo 1876 m. iki 1965 m., įteisino segregaciją visose viešose vietose, teikiančiose paslaugas. Juodaodžiai dėl to gaudavo prastesnes sąlygas nei baltaodžiai.

The post Talking about Race, Power, and Privilege within your Lithuanian Community appeared first on Media4Change.

Participants ran ‘Migrant Library’ in Budapest and Vilnius to give members of the public and politicians with an opportunity to meet face to face with migrants and learn their stories. Some conducted ‘experiments’ to test levels of prejudice against migrants, and reviewed negative press headlines and suggested more positive alternatives. They also drafted guidelines for fair and accurate coverage, which are being distributed to media professionals.

Among the speakers will be Mahdis Amirian exiled journalist from Iran now working with the New MediaMakers organisation in Germany; former Bosnian journalist Zrinka Bralo of Migrants Organise in the UK; academic Magdalena Bobowik from the University of the Basque Country; Sara Garcia de Blas from the Jesuit Refugee Service; Maddalena Fontana from the National Institute for Social Integration; Martin Maska of the European Youth Press; Hiba Obaidan exiled journalist from Syria currently working for Deutschlandfunk Kultur;  and Zivile Raskauskaite from Media4Change.

“This has really been a labour of love,” says project initiator Neringa Jurciukonyte of Media4Change. “Hundreds diverse people have given up their time to really engage with the issues. We have had two residential workshops in Lithuania, and another in Hungary, and participants have devoted time ad energy in their home countries to develop the project. We hope the results will encourage the new European Parliament to devote more time and resources to counter rising prejudice and hate speech and improve the lives of those who have sought sanctuary in one of the richest continents in the World.”

The conference expects to attract a wide range of participants from across Europe as well as citizens from Lithuania.

Details:

• Date: 10.00-14.00, Friday 28 June, 2019
• Place: Mazvydas Library, Vilnius, Lithuania.
• Deadline to apply: 14 June.
• Preliminary conference program.
• Costs: We provide you with accommodation, meals and travel expenses but be aware, that the contribution to travel costs has certain limits (according to distance band, participants will be reimbursed 275€ for less than 1999km and 360€ for more than 2000km.)

Application procedure:

To apply please complete the registration form here.

The call is addressed to all EU countries, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, Kosovo, but please note that priority will be given to participants from Lithuania, Greece, Hungary, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, and Germany.

If you have any questions or inquiries, please do not hesitate to get in touch by emailing [email protected]

This invitation is a part of the project “Voice4Migrants”, funded by the “Europe for Citizens” programme. 

The post Perceptions of Migration – the challenges for media professionals and the new European Parliament (updated) appeared first on Media4Change.

The Media4change movement for highest standards in journalism would like to invite Lithuanian journalists, politicians and other public figures to a public meeting with Lithuanian residents with migrant and refugee backgrounds at 12.00 on Monday 10 June 10 in the gallery of the Second Building of Lithuanian Parliament. It is an excellent opportunity for media representatives to receive first hand information which might initiate changes in the representation of migrants in Lithuania media.

The recent European elections campaign and geopolitical developments have fuelled a debate on migration. How can this be influenced by negative attitudes in media? What is the balance between freedom of press and the publication of hate speech?

During the event in Lithuanian Parliament, Media4change will provide analysis of monitoring of Lithuanian media during 2018-2019.  Experts from partners countries, will provide an international context and address the issues of social intolerance towards migrants.

The event will start at 12:00 in the gallery of the Second Building of Lithuanian Parliament with presentation of the conclusions of the media monitoring study, including quantitative and qualitative analysis on how and in which context those groups were represented in press, and radio and TV programmes, as well as how public opinion was formed, the influence on political debate, and the overall image of migrants created.

• At 13:00 ‘Migrants library’ –  refugees and migrants living in Lithuania presenting their own true stories; an excellent opportunity for media representatives to receive first hand information which might initiate changes in the representation of migrants in Lithuania media.

• At 15:00 participants will be invited to debate in English ‘My country – European country, challenges and boundaries of solidarity’, with insights from Mike Jempson, director of the The MediaWise Trust – for Better Journalism (UK journalism ethics charity) as well as scientific experts and a refugee from Turkey.  Participants will be invited to debate with local journalist Eglė Krištopaitytė who will present the results of her investigation of  problems faced by migrants wishing to rent apartments.
• At 16:30 everybody is invited to add their comment or footprint to a new piece of collaborative street art on the river bank at Olimpiečių dock.

There will also be an exhibition of original Lithuanian headlines and their alternatives devised as part of this Media4Change international media monitoring exercise.

They include:

• Hungary becomes an Islamic state. Will we become ‘new Ukraine’? – ‘Diversity enhances European economy’
• ‘Life on a ticking bomb’ – ‘Ignorance and prejudices are the true ticking bomb’
• N.Puteikis: ‘we waste our money buying iron while muslims are the true danger to Europe’ – We spend money on weapons while nationalism is true threat.
• Filters does not work: migrants are pumped to Akmene – Corruption prevents integration in Akmene.
• Migration or how to kill the state – Redefining ‘national identity’.

This event is the part of ‘Voice4Voiceless“‘project that will end in Lithuania with Final Conference on June 28, 2019 at which the results of the project will be announced and a distinguished panel of  international migration experts will offer their advice to the new European parliament and to media professionals.

Media4change is a movement for highest standards in journalism. It’s aim is to carry out journalistic investigations on the issues of human rights, equality and diversity, and to work on joint projects with editors and human rights experts as the cooperation between NGOs, media and experts is the key to a better representation of socially vulnerable groups.

Project Partners:

• S.O.S. Racismo Gipuzkoa, Spain.
• National Institute for Social Integration, Lithuania.
• Szubjektív Értékek Alapítvány, Hungary.
• UNITED for Intercultural Action Network, Netherlands.
• European Youth Press -Network of Young Media Makers EV, Germany.
• Associazione Trepuntozero, Italy.
• Agenzia di promozione integrate per I cittadini in Europa- APICE, Italy

This invitation is a part of the project “Voice4Migrants”, funded by the “Europe for Citizens” programme. 

The post Migrants Library: What would a refugee say about Lithuania? appeared first on Media4Change.

The best pieces will be presented during the Media4Change International Conference: Perceptions of Migration – the challenges for media professionals and the new European Parliament. This conference will share the achievements and challenges of the project, from a variety of perspectives. Invited speakers will review hate speech and the stigma experienced by migrants in the partner countries, and reflect upon the results of journalistic experiments, migrant libraries and other aspects of the project.

Also, the winners will be invited to join us at the #CIJSummer Investigative Journalism Conference that will take place on the 4-6th of July 2019. The CIJ Summer Conference is UK’s only journalism training event with an emphasis on teaching investigative skills. It offers a mixture of talks, demos and hands-on classes which are designed to equip journalists and anyone interested in investigations with the up-to-date investigative methods and tools.

Are you interested? Then submit your work before 15 June to [email protected] with the subject heading ‘Telling a different story’.

The post Send us your story with the theme ‘Migration: Telling a different story’ and participate on Media4change international contest! appeared first on Media4Change.

This is the third event of Voice4Migrants project, but it is not going to be like anything that has happened before! In these 5 days, you are going to be on a unique mission: to explore ways of enhancing coverage of migration issues across Europe.

We invite you all to bring your fresh new ideas and experience in an Open Event that has never been implemented before! Get ready to enter the Parliament of Vilnius along with the Migrants Library and challenge politicians.

We sincerely thank all the applicants who submitted their application, but after a lot of consideration our outstanding professionals chose the following participants:

• Indrė Štarkaitė
• Mike Jempson
• Ralph DuLong
• Georgia Skandali
• Indre Maršantaitė
• Maddalena Fontana
• Martin Maška
• Denisa Karabová
• Ingrid Borárosová
• Francesco Lisciandra
• Lorenzo Sabino Di Stasi
• Elisa Bertoli
• Debora Barletta
• Francesco Pipparelli
• Chiara Martini
• Ana Palacios
• Miriam Gomez Blanes
• Balint Josa
• Shumaem bin Wasim
• Hakim Alasgarov
• Pardeep Singh Attri
• Catriona O’Sullivan
• Mehmet Murat Dogan
• Daina Naujokaite

If you do not see your name on the list, keep in mind that there will be also a waiting list, which means that you might have a second chance to be selected.

If you have any questions or inquiries, please do not hesitate to get in touch by emailing [email protected].

This announcement is a part of the project “Voice4Migrants”, funded by the “Europe for Citizens” programme. 

The post Announcing the Participants who will go on a “fact-finding mission” in Lithuania! appeared first on Media4Change.

The conference was conceived at a 3-day Voice4Migrants Strategic Workshop in September 2018, attended by media practitioners, journalists, policymakers, and civil societies organizations. This group of international ‘change-makers’ felt that the ‘high level’ debates conducted by inter-governmental, academic and mainstream non-governmental organizations might have more impact if the conversation were expanded to the grassroots level, engaging those directly involved with vulnerable groups, migrants and refugees build new counter-narratives.

Constructive collaboration

Media4change takes a collaborative approach to tackling hate speech and prejudice.

In the intervening months, the Voice4Migrants project has brought together media professionals and social activists, as part of the Media4Change collaborative approach to tackling hate speech and prejudice. Together they have examined migration policy, media output and public prejudices in seven EU countries – Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Spain – and attempted to develop counter-narratives.

This conference will share the achievements and challenges of the project, from a variety of perspectives. Invited speakers will review hate speech and the stigma experienced by migrants in the partner countries, and reflect upon the results of journalistic experiments, migrant libraries and other aspects of the project.

If you share the Media4Change belief in advocating for more inclusive, diverse and participative media working for a hate-free society, this event is for you.

Join us in our efforts to redefine the way migrants and vulnerable groups are represented in media across Europe. We hope this will be an event you won’t want to miss! More details when speakers have been confirmed.

Registration will grant participants access to a variety of events and activities in Vilnius on the day.

Number of participants: 28

Deadline to apply: 14 June.

Costs: Accommodation, meals and travel expenses will be met (but travel costs are limited according to distance bands: to be aware, that the contribution to travel costs has certain limits (according to program’s distance band, participants will be reimbursed €275 for up to 1,999 km; €360 for more than 2,000 km.)

Project Partners:

• S.O.S. Racismo Gipuzkoa, Spain.
• National Institute for Social Integration, Lithuania.
• Szubjektív Értékek Alapítvány, Hungary.
• UNITED for Intercultural Action Network, Netherlands.
• European Youth Press -Network of Young Media Makers EV, Germany.
• Associazione Trepuntozero, Italy.
• Agenzia di promozione integrate per I cittadini in Europa- APICE, Italy

Application procedure:

To apply please complete the registration form here.

The call is addressed to all EU countries, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, Kosovo, but please note that priority will be given to participants from Lithuania, Greece, Hungary, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, and Germany.

If you have any questions or inquiries, please do not hesitate to get in touch by emailing [email protected].

This invitation is a part of the project “Voice4Migrants”, funded by the “Europe for Citizens” programme. 

The post Media4Change International Conference Perceptions of Migration – the challenges for media professionals and the new European Parliament appeared first on Media4Change.

The objective of the campaign is to enhance digital empathy, tolerance, and respect in debates and public
discourse. The campaign is raising awareness about the normalization of hate speech in public and political discourse, which is preventing critical debates and block us from engaging with people many see as ‘others’. This should be a core part of the democratic process and elections.Media4Change is expressing solidarity to this campaign and inviting journalists to take part as well. As it EU election, it is important for journalists to challenge politicians who are using hate speech in EU elections and raise awareness to the public with this campaign.

The grassroots campaign aims to show that European citizens deserve better quality debates, better arguments without spreading hate and/or relying on false news, misinformation or conspiracy theories. Regardless of our different political colors, we know we deserve better than this, which is why we are campaigning: to inspire more awareness and positive speech.

How can you participate?

It’s simple: if you agree with the message, spread it! Share it on Facebook and Instagram, spread it on YouTube, tweet it out – just make sure you always add the international, English hashtag #WeDeserveBetter along with lithuanian one: #MesNusipelnomeGeriau. Feel free to add something more specific when you share it; you can call out others using hate speech (#CallOut), you can encourage others to #ThinkBeforeYouType #PokalbiaiBeNeapykantos or you can just simply share why this issue matters to you.

The more we are, the louder our voices will be! Let’s stand up together for the values of tolerance and
respect in the public discourse.

Make sure to follow us on social media in the coming weeks as we will be sharing more materials as the campaign unfolds!

The post Join the big #WeDeserveBetter campaign! appeared first on Media4Change.

We want to send a big thank you to everyone who applied to our submission form and helped make it a success! We received a high amount of applications but only 25 people are the chosen ones. Our outstanding professionals, which include partners organizations from 7 different countries, chose the selected participants based on their motivation and potential to contribute in the best way possible to our open event.

Be prepared because this is a unique opportunity to share your ideas and contribute to activities that have never been implemented before!

• Ram Hadroj
• Flutura Ramaj
• Louis David Train
• Mike Jempson
• Ralph DuLong
• Maddalena Fontana
• Georgia Skandali
• Indre Maršantaitė
• Martin Maška
• Elisa Bertoli
• Eligija Barkutė
• Elena Rinaldi
• Elena Lupica
• Francesco Pipparelli
• Armando Attinà
• Riccardo Pucci
• Jose Manuel Guerra
• Sven Przemyslowski
• Katarzyna Dybżyńska
• Patricia González Aldea
• Miriam Gómez Blanes
• Valbona Rexha
• Alessandro Pirovano
• Magdalena Bobowik
• Francesco Lisciandra

If you do not see your name on the list, keep in mind that there will be also a waiting list, which means that you might have a second chance to be selected.

This is not the end of Voice4Migrants’ journey. We are inviting you to our upcoming Open Event in Lithuania that will take place in June. Stay tuned in Media4change website for the next participants’ call!

If you have any questions or inquiries, please do not hesitate to get in touch by emailing [email protected].

This announcement is a part of the project “Voice4Migrants”, funded by the “Europe for Citizens” programme.

The post Announcing the International Team of ‘change-makers’ for the big Open Event in Hungary! appeared first on Media4Change.

In 2018, the Media4Change team gathered together experts from around Europe to talk about the harsh measures introduced restrict migration in Hungary and the Netherlands and to examine the crucial role of media in tackling hate speech.

Eszter Várszegi, from UNITED for Intercultural Action, a partner organization of Media4Change, said that the word ‘migrant’ in the Hungarian language was a technical term used mainly by experts and academics.

“It had no negative connotations and it was not an expression that people would widely use in their everyday life,” she said. According to her,  everything changed in 2015 when in response to Europe’s refugee and migration ‘crisis’, the Hungarian government launched a big campaign against refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants, identifying all of them as migrants.

“Today, the word migrant (migráns) is someone illegal, dangerous, potentially a rapist, and most probably Arab or Muslim”, she emphasized. “This is currently the public perception of a migrant, which is a result of a consistent and frequent negative portrayal of them in media as a part of the government’s anti-migrant communication” E. Várszegi continued.

“The fake news factory of the government often presents news that feels completely surrealistic in an allegedly democratic country.”

But how did a technical term become a slur, a stigma and an insult now frequently used in public and private discussions?

In 2015 tens of thousands of migrants and refugees, coming mostly from the war torn Middle East and Afghanistan, were making their way through the Balkans to Hungary. From there, many planned to continue on to Germany and other countries in northern Europe. Hungary’s response, under Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz government, was to close its border with Serbia. When refugees attempted to breach the fence, the government declared a national state of emergency and announced that all ‘illegal’ entrants would be jailed, justifying these measures as a “legitimate response to an invasion”.

It did not stop there. This situation did not stop there as on February 2016, Prime Minister Orbán announced a referendum to decide whether or not to accept the European Union’s proposed mandatory quotas for relocating migrants. As a result, in June 2018, an amendment of the constitution was passed limiting the number of ‘non-Hungarians’ who may settle in the country.

According to the International Organization for Migration, these measures have reduced asylum applications and decreased the number of irregular border crossings since the 2015 peak of 441,515.

Hungarian police officers close the main border exit between Serbia and Hungary near Roszke. Photo credits: AP

This political situation was bound to have an effect upon the way media portrayed migrants. As someone living in Hungary and paying close attention to developments, Eszter Várszegi commented: “As nationalist voices are growing, the idea of a monocultural country has gained popularity, and protecting the country from migrants has become a priority in Hungary.  The fake news factory of the government often presents news that feels completely surrealistic in an allegedly democratic country; we discover a lot of distorted data, while at the same time we find that George Soros is portrayed as the reason behind everything that is happening in the country.”

Deliberately misleading narratives have become extremely popular, especially when they appeal to existing fears or prejudices. It would appear that any Hungarian media outlet is caught up in the government’s negative framing of immigrants and refugees, because even when attempting to report them in a positive light, simply using the term ‘migrant’ has such strong connotations that it changes the narrative.

People interested in the truth, refugees, and other minority rights need to understand how the government has transformed migrants into ‘enemies’, and work to try and change the discourse. This is what NGOs in Hungary, like Subjective Values Foundation, are trying to do, and it makes Eszter more positive about the future. She knows from personal experience that the media has the power to change what is in people’s heads, so through the media, it should be possible to instill more positive perceptions of migrants.

People protesting in Roszke, Hungary, 15 April 2017. The protests were aimed against the measures taken by the Hungarian government against migration. [Zoltan Gergely Kelemen/EPA]People often underestimate the power of words, and it is important to understand that the way media use words can actually shape society’s view. Mike Jempson, director of the NGO MediaWise is trying to make this point when he tells his fellow journalists: “We have a responsibility not only to tackle hate speech but also to think about the language we are using.”

“It can be problematic for journalists to recognize our responsibilities when politicians and even editors try to exploit difficult situations by promoting prejudice in order to win votes or sell more newspapers. Our job is always to intervene and challenge, not just false facts but motives too.”

“There is no refugee crisis but rather a refugee policy crisis“

Ralph du Long from Dialogue in Progress used the opportunity to say that even using the term refugee crisis is wrong as “there is no refugee crisis but rather a refugee policy crisis“.

As second generation Dutch-Indonesian migrant now living in the Netherlands, Ralph admitted that he faced a lot of discrimination as a child just because he was different. He continued “We see a lack of solidarity between EU countries and lack of willingness to implement policies regarding migrants.”

However, the situation now in the Netherlands seems to be getting worse, as anti-Islamic nationalists have gained popularity by targeting mainly Muslims. During the 2017 Dutch elections, no issue generated as much ‘noise’ and division as immigration. Even the Prime Minister Mark Rutte warned migrants to ‘be normal or be gone’.  At the same time, in media interviews across the country, far-right voters expressed strong nationalist and anti-immigrant views that were once considered extreme but which have now appear to have become normalized in public discourse.

However, it has not just been voters but also Dutch mainstream media that have expressed ‘popular opinions’ presenting migrants as a helpless minority, and criminals. There does not seem to be an appreciation of the difference between the terms immigrant, refugee or asylum seeker.  Here are some examples:

#1

#2

#3

Witnessing these worrying development, Media4Change decided to ring the changes on the way the media across Europe represent migrants through itsVoice4Migrants project, funded by Europe for Citizens programme.

Media experts and activists from anti-racist and refugee support groups across Europe were brought together to develop strategies to foster dialogue on integration policies and the reception of refugees in European countries, and to assist in European citizens to develop counter-narratives to hate speech.

“Only 8% of the population are migrants, but their crimes are being reported 100%.”

As part of this process, the Voice4Migrants team is devising techniques to encourage others to take on the task of challenging the negative stereotypes that have developed around migrations.

One of the events, a Traveling exhibition of non-stereotypical headlines will go on display in the capitals of Lithuania and Hungary. During a strategic planning workshop, a group of journalists and media experts analyzed problematic headlines from all around Europe and identified the most recurrent pattern of stereotypes which hinder impartial depiction of migrants in media.

They have since been rewriting them to demonstrate an alternative way of telling the story without pandering to prejudice.

Ralph du Long pointed out that the most common misrepresentation of migrants is to associate them with crime, and especially as rapists and sexual predators. He explained that their task was to re-imagine some of the most offensive headlines to change the narrative and open up a space for dialogue and understanding between migrants, journalists, and the public. One of the re-written headlines read: “Only 8% of the population are migrants, but their crimes are being reported 100%.”

“The voice of the migrants will be without filters. They will be able to tell their own story”

The Voice4Migrants project will also include an opening of a ‘Migrants Library’ in the Hungarian parliament in Budapest in June 2019. It will provide migrants with a unique opportunity to speak face-to-face with politicians and share their stories with them. They will participate as ‘living books’ in a safe space where they can tell their stories and answer questions.

The 4-hour-long Human Library will be an opportunity not just for politicians, but also for the wider community, to meet the real people whose lives have so often been misrepresented in the media and political discourse.

Francesco Lisciandra president of Trepuntozero NGO and implementor of the Human Library in Italy commented about the planned event: “The Migrant Library is a very powerful tool to give migrants voice and to overcome discrimination and stereotypes. The voice of the migrants will be without filters. They will be able to tell their own story and make the people meet and talk without the interference of media or political party.”

The post As Europe tightens its borders, media’s role on migration coverage becomes crucial appeared first on Media4Change.

From among over 100 submissions, our outstanding professionals selected carefully those participants who demonstrate the greatest potential and have the motivation to be the inspiration for the positive changes in journalism.

This means that you are among the chosen ones!

The 2-day international round table will take place in San Sebastian, Spain on 11 – 12 April 2019 coinciding with the 17th San Sebastián Human Rights Film Festival (5-13 April 2019) which you will be able to attend.

• Kristina Aržuolaitienė
• Goda Jureviciute
• Eglė Krištopaitytė
• Darius Matas
• Lucía Riera
• Ana Palacios
• Silvia Sofía Nortes
• Nadeesha Dilshani Uyangoda
• Ylenia Musolino
• Felice Florio
• Lorenzo Sabino Di Stasi
• Alessandro Pirovano
• Alicia Prager
• Wais Basir
• Loveday Vivien Wright
• Eszter Neuberger
• Laura Lise Romane Royer
• Anna Romandash
• Angelos Andreou
• Dimitrios Angelidis
• Sarah Titilayo Farukuoye
• Raphael Baldos
• Cécile Micheline Madeleine Debarge
• Natalia Żaba
• Louis David Train

If you do not see your name on the list, keep in mind that there will be also a waiting list, which means that you might have a second chance to be selected.

This is not the end of  Voice4Migrants’ journey. We are inviting you to 2 upcoming Open Events in Hungary and Lithuania that have never been implemented before. Stay tuned in Media4change website for the next participants’ call!

If you have any questions or inquiries, please do not hesitate to get in touch by emailing [email protected].

This announcement is a part of the project “Voice4Migrants”, funded by the “Europe for Citizens” programme. 

The post Announcing the outstanding journalists who will search together for the different story of migration! appeared first on Media4Change.